Refurbished Equipment?

AIsmail

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Dec 25, 2005
212
26
Stewartsville, NJ
I just had my install on Saturday and I ended up swapping out some of my equipment today. Instead of a brand new 612 I was given a refurbished 722. Of course I had to pay $100 for it. I thought new instals got new equipment. I'm a little miffed. I got a refurb on the 211 I got but I was prepared for it. Any thoughts? I was a Dish customer in the past & I never had any luck with refurbs. Thanks!
 
I don't recall but I did hear it and I've had 3-4 installs between family and friends and they all got new units. My original install was new equipment. The 612 is one buggy machine and I can't figure out why considering my old 622 ran like a champ. I had two of them.
 
They're still making (in WA) new installs of the 625 DVR. Haven't made them in years. They're all refurb, as are ViP622s.
 
All I got to say is VIP612s are JUNK! You are much better off with the 722. You are sure it's not a 722k? If so then more then likely it is brand new. Same with the 211. I haven't seen a 722 or a 211 handed out at our WH in almost a year.
 
Sorry they are both k units but definitely refurbs. The units look okay but are no where near what new ones look like and they weren't packed anywhere near like new units.
 
refurb 722k

When I switched from a 622 that had a broken HDMI out I was sent a new unit. It had some problems so it was exchanged w/ a refurb. Haven't had a bit of trouble w/ it (knock on wood).
 
I just don't understand the mentality against refurbs. Installing them, I've never noticed that one is more buggy than another. I installed refurbed equipment in my own install. Also, there is no rule of new installs get new equipment. You get whatever the tech has, whether it be a 622/722/722k or 211/211k or 522/625. If it's in the same receiver family and that's what's in stock then that's what ya get.

Although, I've never "downgraded" somebody on a service call. Always try to do like for like or upgrade but if the situation arises, they'll get what they get.
 
A few years ago I had a new, never been used 625 I purchased from the DishStore, after about two years I thought it was going bad and had Dish send me a replacement. It was really messed up bad. Called them and they sent me another refurb which was just as bad if not worse. At the time I had the original and the two refurbs. I finally realized that it was a bad update that caused all my issues. Another update fixed my issues. I wound up keeping my original 625 and sent the two refurbs back. The first refurb was stuck on dual mode and the other one had some really strange LED's on the front panel. I am not impressed at all with refurbished equipment from Dish. Just my 2 pennies.
 
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Nothing wrong

A few years ago I had a new, never been used 625 I purchased from the DishStore, after about two years I thought it was going bad and had Dish send me a replacement. It was really messed up bad. Called them and they sent me another refurb which was just as bad if not worse. At the time I had the original and the two refurbs. I finally realized that it was a bad update that caused all my issues. Another update fixed my issues. I wound up keeping my original 625 and sent the two refurbs back. The first refurb was stuck on dual mode and the other one had some really strange LED's on the front panel. I am not impressed at all with refurbished equipment from Dish. Just my 2 pennies.

You admitted that their was nothing wrong w/ the refurb units just a s/w glitch. So why bad mouth the the units that weren't even bad? :confused:
 
Often, refurbs can be better than brand new, as whatever hardware bugs are often fixed such as the beefed-up HDMI ports some years ago when people were HOPING for a refub Dish box, and sometimes the OEM hard drive can be a disaster, as with TiVo and Toshiba. As long as there are no bad blemishes on the unit, one is often getting better replacement parts on the boards, or even new board and usually a new HDD. Now, Some refurbs don't work from day one, but this is also true of brand-new boxes. There really isn't any reason to feel that Dish refurbs are inferior. In fact, I am counting on getting a refrub 922 from Dish late this year as they will have changed out whatever hardware in the 922 that turned out to be a mistake :). Often subs have to RMA their brand-new boxes for known problems and are sent a refurb with the problem fixed. My aunt bought the Epson Artisan 810 specifically because it was a refurb, as the brand-new units have had problems and have to be sent back to Epson, anyway. So far, none of the reported problems. That's just one example of preferring refurbs.
 
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I don't really have an issue wih the quality of DISH Network refurbished equipment. They give you new remotes, cables and manuals and the units are clean when you get them


No they don't....In my case those bastards gave me a remote for my 722K that had dried up brown crap and scratch marks. Also the battery door and surrounding plastic was all chewed up as if the previous owner used a knife or sharp object to pry the cover off. Some of the numbers on the buttons were fading and the SAT button had a piece of plastic rubber missing from the top. Several of the buttons were sticky. The high school drop out DISH tech installer said that is all they had in the truck and could not replace it.

I called the morons and had to speak to 3 CSR geniuses before they could give me a free replacement remote.
 
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I had a brand new 722 die in a week. Refurb replacement going strong 2 yrs +.
 
I am in the camp of 'never had much luck with refurbs'. That said however, I would not argue it as long as it looked good and worked OK.

When I ordered my install through Dish, I specifically asked the CSR to note on my order that I wanted a VIP722K. My installer said that the order did state that I was to receive a 722K.

He said it turned out to be luck of the draw that I happened to get a new one. He said that he gets just as many refurbed 722K's as new ones from the warehouse. He did say that if he had a new one on the truck and the customer specifically asked for a new one, not refurb, he would provide it.

BTW, my installer, who worked for a subcontractor, was a really great guy. I did pitch in and route the cable through the basement, mainly because I wanted it a certain way. It worked out good for both of us because I had my system and house prewired. So, the installation was easy for him. Anyway, I digress, lol!

Ed
 
I have had my fair share of bad luck with refurbs as well in the past. The 722 I have now is a refurb and running well since the day I got it though. The 522 however has to be rebooted from time to time.

By the way, did they tell you that the 722 is going to be $17 per month which is $7 more than what the 612 would have been at $10 per month? If it is the first receiver on your account and just have the 211 as the second receiver then there are no monthly cosdifference between the 612 and the 722 though and there is no point in getting a 612 if the 722 is the first receiver on the account.
 
I think refurbs can be just fine. I think it depends on the quality of the "refurb" and the age of the hard drive.

I think the HD is the "weakest link" of the vip DVRs. I don't know if its heat or "bargain bin" parts, but that is what consistently fails on my units.
 
Would be the 1st

I have had my fair share of bad luck with refurbs as well in the past. The 722 I have now is a refurb and running well since the day I got it though. The 522 however has to be rebooted from time to time.

By the way, did they tell you that the 722 is going to be $17 per month which is $7 more than what the 612 would have been at $10 per month? If it is the first receiver on your account and just have the 211 as the second receiver then there are no monthly cosdifference between the 612 and the 722 though and there is no point in getting a 612 if the 722 is the first receiver on the account.

With a 722 & a 612 on the account the 722 will be listed as the main on the acct. The advantage he would have w/ the 612 is he could move an ext HDD between the 2. Can do that w/ 211k. IMHO I think E screwed up not making the ext HDD compatible between the 211k & all the VIP DVR's.
 
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